There is a need for oral care products to whiten teeth. Bleaching materials such as peroxide are commonly used to whiten teeth, but peroxide is difficult to formulate and deliver in sufficient concentrations to provide a good whitening effect. White pigments such as zinc oxide are also used, but such insoluble pigments are also difficult to formulate and deliver.
There is also a need for improved, consumer-friendly products and methods to encourage users to brush their teeth for a longer period of time. It is recommended that children should brush their teeth for at least 45-60 seconds, and adults for at least 90 to 120 seconds. Most people, especially children, do not brush their teeth for a sufficient period of time to obtain maximum benefit, and moreover have difficulty accurately estimating the time necessary to brush the teeth. Toothpaste comprising colored film fragments or encapsulates that release pigment upon adequate brushing are known, but these pigments provide no particular benefit to the teeth.